The Heat Is No Joke
Hey folks - so it's mid-June and it was already 93 degrees by 10 AM yesterday. Welcome to Florida. If you've been thinking about getting concrete work done this summer, there's some stuff you should know about pouring in this heat. It's doable, but you gotta know what you're doing or you're gonna have problems.
Why Hot Weather Is a Problem
Here's the deal. Concrete is basically a chemical reaction - the cement and water react and the mix hardens. When it's 95 degrees out with Florida humidity, that reaction speeds WAY up. The concrete starts setting before you can finish working it.
That means you get:
- Surface cracking from drying too fast
- Weaker finished product because the cure didn't happen right
- A crew that's stressed out trying to finish before the concrete gets away from them
I've seen guys lose an entire pour because they didn't plan for the heat. Not us, knock on wood, but I've seen it. It's ugly.
How We Handle It
Early Morning Starts
In summer we're on site by 5:30-6:00 AM. The guys love it (they don't). But honestly by starting early we can get the pour done before the worst heat hits. Most of our summer pours are finished by noon or early afternoon.
Ice in the Mix
Yeah, actual ice. We have the batch plant substitute ice for some of the mix water. Keeps the concrete temperature down during transit and gives us more working time. It sounds weird but it's standard practice down here.
Misting and Covering
As soon as we finish a section we're misting it and getting a curing compound on there. In this heat you can literally watch the surface dry out in front of you if you're not on it. We keep spray bottles and a hose going the whole time.
Smaller Pours
Sometimes in peak summer we'll break a bigger job into two pours instead of trying to do it all at once. Yeah it takes an extra day but I'd rather do it right than rush and end up with a slab I'm not proud of.
War Story Time
Last July we were doing a patio slab out in Lakewood Ranch. 98 degrees, felt like 110. We had everything planned perfectly - early start, ice in the mix, extra guys on the crew. Then the concrete truck got stuck in traffic on University Pkwy because of a fender bender. Showed up 40 minutes late. In July. 40 minutes might as well be 40 hours.
We made it work but it was one of those days where you earn every penny. The guys were moving so fast and I was out there with the hose keeping things wet while they finished. Came out great but man, I think I lost 10 pounds in sweat that day.
Should You Wait Until Fall?
If you can wait until October-November for your project, that IS the ideal time to pour in Florida. Cooler temps, less rain. But if you need it done now, don't stress - we do summer pours all the time. We just plan accordingly.
Give us a call if you've got a project you want to get done this summer. We'll work around the heat and make sure it's done right.